


A Strike of Fury

by Aurya



Series: A Breath of Wilderness [9]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Female Link, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-04 06:29:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21193130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aurya/pseuds/Aurya
Summary: In Divine Beast Vah Naboris, a Guardian's spirit wars...





	1. The Endeavour for Gerudo Town

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Realized that I kind of undermined the first endeavour in Gerudo Town and decided to improvise a bit. The flipside is that I had to do a lot of working-around for the dialogue.
> 
> Link's equipment inventory at the start of this chapter [currently equipped]:  
-[Guardian Sword]  
-Guardian Spear  
-Guardian Axe  
-[Wooden Bow]  
-[Arrow ×50]  
-Fire Arrow ×30  
-Ice Arrow ×30  
-Shock Arrow ×30  
-[Wooden Shield]  
-[Champion's Tunic]  
-[Hylian Hood]  
-[Hylian Trousers]  
(assorted armour which varies depending on the order you are reading this series, and will not be relevant to this fic)

"Well, how am I supposed to deal with that?"

Link had been riding through a canyon that the stablehands at Outskirt Stable had identified as leading to Gerudo territory. Bokoblins on horseback, disguised Yiga, odd shrines, the sun being on its way down behind the canyon walls, she wasn't surprised by anything she'd run into so far - but now, she found herself facing a rather new predicament.

Boulders barring the road.

With a sigh, she dismounted Lugria and assessed her options. If she froze the biggest boulder with Stasis, she could build up enough to send the whole rockslide scattering - but she needed a good weapon for that, and she didn't have anything but a few solid-light weapons from Guardian Scouts. She could use Remote Bombs to give them kinetic energy instead - but with the recharge time, she wasn't like to have built up anything meaningful. Dropping the bombs in the middle of the rockslide and setting them off themselves wouldn't do much; they didn't have enough power to throw boulders of this size, and she could only have two bombs active at once, so she couldn't stockpile a-

She blinked as she saw something slightly out of place; the third-biggest boulder of the pile seemed to be a hunk of iron.

That made things easier; she seized that one with Magnesis, and used it as leverage to shove the rest of the rocks into what was well enough a clear path. Once that was through, she remounted her horse and marched him through, and as soon as his hind legs were clear of the boulders, she spurred him into a canter. It wasn't long before she found signs that she was getting close; a few impressive stone archways (albeit ones with large cracks in them) scattered the path between the rockslide and a stable, with her Sheikah Sensor going off for a shrine not thirty paces away (well... if one counts falling off the rocks the shine was atop as a pace).

With a smile on her face, Link rode up to the front counter and dismounted once more; then she knocked on the counter to get the man's attention. "Could I get board for my horse?"

"Certainly," the man confirmed. "On our way to Gerudo Town, are we?"

Link blinked. "I'm... sorry?" she asked. "I mean, I am on my way to the Gerudo Desert, but... how did you figure that?"

"Oh, is this your first time out this way?" the man observed. "The desert isn't exactly good for riding in; no matter how bad you think the sand is on foot, it's a hundred times worse for hooves. A horse won't go out to the desert."

"Well, damn," Link muttered. "I was just gonna board him for the night while I grabbed a bed, but so much for getting him back out in the morning." She shook her head. "So, nothing but foot travel, then?"

The man shook his head. "Nah, the desert's full of these creatures they call sand seals," he explained. "The Gerudo can teach you how to snag one such that they'll pull you along. Just make sure you've got a shield under your feet first, or you'll be dragged across the sands face-down - and that's not a friendly trip."

"I bet," Link observed. "You go to Gerudo Town often?"

Silence... and then the man laughed.

"Did I say something funny?" Link asked. "I mean, if you guys don't get to leave the stable very often, sorry for being insensitive, but..."

"You'll see when you get there," the man assured him. "Just don't go taking a date with you."

* * *

The next morning, Link decided not to head straight out to the desert; she stopped by the shrine near the stable first, then proceeded to climb the cliff wall next to it, intent on getting a better look at the desert. She had an excellent view from the top of that cliff (although not without taking out a Lizalfos and a couple Moblins first); there was a small building that she assumed to be an outpost of sorts not too far from the end of the canyon, although it looked to be quite the walk from there to the walled city in the middle of the desert.

There were also a couple sandstorms to either side of the path that gave Link pause; after a moment, she did a full 360 scan, found a tower, and decided to save the trip to the desert for tomorrow.

That climb took her until sundown; she got a bit of a look from the man at the counter when she returned to the stable, but he didn't give her any hardship before letting her get a room for the night. Once she was awake, she started out of the canyon; the sandstorms hadn't subsided (or else had returned), but were much further from the path than they looked from above. That meant she could focus on a different problem - the stable owner wasn't kidding when he said the sand was going to be a pain, and Link's boots were full of grains as she approached at the outpost.

Her hardships were forgotten when a bellow seemed to shake the desert - a low, rumbling sound like an equine cry as warped in a tunnel's echo. It was coming from the south; Link turned towards the storm, and now she could see something silhouetted in the sands. Four legs moving in a mechanical rhythm, and a towering neck holding a two-pronged head; lightning seemed to crack out of the empty sky around it as it bellowed once again.

"The Divine Beast," she murmured. "Out in the open? That's too easy..." She glanced down as her sandy boots. "Okay, maybe not. Still... it can't just be out here undefended."

She made to approach the outpost - it was situated on an oasis that she was pleasantly surprised to see (having missed it from above - she blamed the reflective surface of still water). A Gerudo woman with a spear was standing near the path as she got near, and Link stepped up to her. "Morning."

"Sav'otta," the woman greeted. "This is Kara Kara Bazaar. Gerudo Town is still a fair distance southwest of here. If you're headed there, you should consider resting a bit." She shook her head. "All the same, the Divine Beast is kicking up a storm right now, so I don't recommend it."

"You mean the Divine Beast is _causing_ that storm?" Link asked.

"You don't know about Divine Beast Vah Naboris?" The Gerudo seemed surprised. "Supposedly, it is the guardian deity for the Gerudo people, but it suddenly started acting up a while back. It's protected by the sandstorm and intense lightning that it generates out of nothing." She shook her head. "It hasn't yet, but it could easily head towards Gerudo Town or this oasis. I do my best to keep an eye on it, that I might warn people if it starts to approach."

Link nodded. "Smart idea," she praised. "So, Gerudo Town - how far do you reckon on foot?"

"An hour at least," the guard admitted. "More without proper footwear. I guarantee you'll not be disappointed when you arrive, though - there is so much trade, and it is active all night long." She sighed, smiling. "It is refreshing to have another vai I can say this to without worrying for your intentions - most tourists to the desert are voe who think they can just waltz in."

"Okay, wait," Link pleaded. "What do you mean 'vai' and 'voe'?"

The Gerudo laughed. "Those are the Gerudo words for 'female' and 'male'," she explained. "The Gerudo are a race of vai, and so voe are prohibited from entering Gerudo Town. Still, some Hylian voe come here all the same, thinking that a town full of vai is some sort of paradise for them."

"Honestly?" Link shook her head. "Well, thank you."

"You're welcome," the Gerudo assured her. "You know, the desert is hot during the day and cold at night. It'll take the energy out of you in no time. If you plan to head out into the desert, make sure you're prepared."

"Good to know," Link mused, although she didn't have much intention to travel at night. "See you."

"Sav'orq."

The bazaar wasn't too shy on trade itself - there was a friendly vendor selling roasted meals, a less-than-friendly one selling fruit, and the hut had a few arrows for sale (emphasis on 'few' - a single specimen of each type) and a place to stay. Link was contemplating her options before the meat vendor when she spoke up.

"Are you going to Gerudo Town?" she asked.

"Yeah," Link confirmed. "Just as soon as I can think of a way to keep the sun off me."

"You wanna know an easy way to stay cool?" the vendor mused. "Eat something frozen."

Link blinked. "Like what?"

"Anything," the vendor insisted. "Meat, and fish freeze best, but if it's edible, put an ice arrow in it and it'll chill your whole body. I'd really recommend hydromelons - they freeze so well, it's delicious." There was a smile on Link's face at the thought, and the vendor continued; "Once you get to Gerudo Town, you'll find clothing that breathes a lot better than what you've got on now."

"Duly noted," Link agreed.

* * *

Popping a hydromelon with an ice arrow and slicing the frozen results open was indeed _delicious_; Link was tempted to just eat the whole thing in one go and advance to Gerudo Town through the resulting headach, but she resisted the urge and elected to eat it in pieces on her way to town. It ended up being a wise decision... consequent of a not-so-wise decision; the lack of landmarks in the desert and the varying dunes obscuring a long view at the low end meant she caught sight of the town after she'd already been walking for half an hour in the wrong direction.

There was a shrine outside the walls that Link elected to visit before she headed in; after a few unwelcome shocks, she stepped into Gerudo Town. It wasn't nearly so hot within the walls; Link threw her hood back and took a deep breath as she stepped in. The shops were scattered just in through the entrance - but there was also a few waterfalls pouring from a large pillar that rested atop a building, and Link had her suspicions that it was a structure of import.

A couple guards were standing at the entrance, leaving her uncertain whether visitors were welcome; deciding to take the risk, Link made to step inside, and although they had their gazes on her, they didn't make to stop her. There was a soft carpet leading up to what appeared to be a throne of sorts; standing next to the throne was a soldier with a claymore that looked like it could cut a Goron, and sitting upon the throne was...

Link blinked. The Gerudo on the throne looked rather _young_ to be in charge - yet the moment she turned her gaze on Link, there was an air of experience to her, and when she spoke, it was with impressive composure.

"Yet another traveler," she observed. Then, narrowing her gaze. "Oh? It seems you have something rather interesting there..."

The soldier at her side lifted her sword just enough to strike it against the ground, and Link came to a halt. "You stand before Lady Riju, chief of the Gerudo!" she proclaimed. "Declare your business, but come no closer!"

The chief, Riju, sat upright. "Hold on, Buliara," she warned. "This one appears to be more than a common traveler." The guard bowed her head as Riju regarded Link. "You there - what is your name?"

"I'm Link."

"Link..." A smile rose on Riju's face as she reclined upon the throne again. "And what is it you've come all the way here to tell me, Link?"

Buliara was still glaring at her, and Link elected to keep her attention on the chief. "Vah Naboris," she replied. "I believe I can calm the Divine Beast."

"You think you have what it takes to subdue something so powerful as a Divine Beast?" Buliara demanded. "The only ones who could ever control them were Champions like Lady Urbosa - and all the Champions died in the Calamity one hundred years ago."

Riju set a hand on her chin. "Buliara," she cautioned, "a memory just jumped into my head - something my mother spoke of. When the Calamity happened, the princess of Hyrule placed a fallen swordsman into a deep sleep. That swordsman, much like our new friend here, was named Link... though it always seemed more legend than fact."

Buliara turned to her. "But Lady Riju," she prompted, "do not the stories say that the Hylian Champion carried a legendary sword? I see no such weapon in this traveler's care."

"Yes," Riju mused, "the 'sword that seals the darkness', they call it."

Link's gaze narrowed. She couldn't help but feel like she was being lectured on her own history.

"What of the device on this one's hip?" Riju added, and Link glanced down at her Sheikah Slate. "It appears to be a precious relic of the Sheikah. I can't imagine they would give something so valuable to a simple drifter - can you?"

Buliara closed her eyes. "I don't remember ever hearing of a Hylian _vai_ among the Champions."

"A hundred years of hearsay," Riju observed. "Perhaps the Hylian Champion was a voe... but perhaps the stories have simply warped over the ages." Her gaze went to Link. "Do you not wish to speak for yourself, Link?"

"I, um... don't think I'm in much position to make comments about the stories," Link admitted. "My memories aren't exactly... well-kept." She took a deep breath. "And, well... if I just claimed to be the Champion of a hundred years ago, there wouldn't be much cause for you to believe me, would there?"

"Then let us simply concern ourselves with the facts," Riju observed. "If you are here to help us with Naboris, we are allies." She sighed. "You saw it on your way to our town. Divine Beast Vah Naboris, cloaked in a massive standstorm, hurling lightning at any who dare approach. We have to do something to stop it, but we have yet to find any way to appease the Divine Beast on our own. If you truly are a Champion, perhaps you will be able to enter Naboris and calm its anger. And if you are not... your inability does not make the notion any less appreciated."

"Lady Riju," Buliara pleaded, "I don't see how you can trust a complete stranger with something as important as this task. Perhaps if she were to prove her worth first..."

Riju hummed thoughtfully. "An interesting suggestion," she mused.

Link nodded. "If there's anything I can do to earn your trust, I'm willing," she insisted.

Her words brought a smile to Riju's face. "So bold," she mused. "You see, there is only one thing in all of Hyrule that can withstand the lightning from Naboris - the Thunder Helm, a family heirloom and relic of the Gerudo. But, alas, it was stolen from us - quite recently, in fact."

"I see," Link mused. "Then, if I retrieve it, you'll have reason to trust me?"

Buliara huffed. "You needn't worry, Lady Riju," she proclaimed. "If she truly is a Champion, then this should be an easy task for her." Then, to Link; "Our soldiers can tell you all you need to know about the thieves. Head this way to the barracks, seek out Captain Teake, and ask for a full report."

"Understood," Link conceded, bowing her head.

She started out the way Buliara had indicated, and Riju giggled lightly as she departed.

* * *

"I am **not** buying that."

Information was a simple matter - preparation, not so much. The clothing shop did indeed offer garb that might help with the heat - but they were not clothes of any significant use. Thin cloth veils and hoods, a top that looked like it was designed to barely let a vai be considered 'dressed', and sirwals so thin that Link would fear for her modesty if she did any sort of combative maneuvers.

The shopkeep seemed offended by Link's proclamation. "What's wrong with my wares?" she demanded.

"Setting aside the... stylistic differences," Link insisted, hesitating just long enough to find a relatively inoffensive way to phrase her distaste, "there's no defense to this stuff! I can't wear this into a fight and expect to take a hit! And this fabric - this isn't going to keep out a breath, let alone wind! What good is this supposed to do?"

"It _breathes_," the shopkeep retorted. "If you're going to travel under the desert sun, you _need_ clothing that lets the wind through - it has to keep you cool. You had to have been _roasting_ in a tunic like that on your way here!" She aimed a finger at Link's azure top.

Link shook her head. "There are better ways of keeping cool in hot regions than showing off skin," she muttered. "If this is all you've got for breathability, I'm just gonna freeze more hydromelons."

The shopkeep laughed. "Frozen food will only cool you down so much," she retorted. "If you get out in the desert - _properly_ out in the desert - the sun is going to roast you faster than an icy hydromelon will ice you. You're not going to last."

"Then I'll cook something properly," Link countered. "Spice can keep you warm, there's gotta be something to keep me cool."

"And do you have the right ingredients for something like that?" the shopkeep argued. "Because if you don't, you're not going to find it in the desert!"

Link stormed away with a huff, walking away from the shop without care for where she was going. Yet, the woman had a point; she _didn't_ have anything she was sure was going to cool her down. If frozen hydromelons weren't going to keep her cool, she didn't see how she could-

"...got my hands on the password for you-know-where."

The voice caught Link by surprise; she looked up to find that she was sitting in the shadow of what appeared to be a bar, and those above weren't being terribly quiet about their secrets. "You mean by Fashion Passion? Wow. That place is a little crazy, isn't it?"

_Fashion_ _Passion?_ Link crept a little closer to the wall, careful not to make any audible disturbance._They talking about that place?_

"It's not that bad, they just sell things that are... a little more out-there. Anyways, the password was G-S-C-dia. I overheard Saula talking about it."

"What could that- Oh, I get it. Gerudo Secret Club - GSC. But what's that 'dia' at the end?"

"I think it's supposed to be a diamond shape, written down. But writing down a password would make it easier for someone uninvited to find their way in."

"But what's the diamond for? I don't see how- Huh?"

Link had been turning to walk away when the shield on her back scraped against the wall; she quickly slipped out of sight, thinking about what she'd heard. _'Gerudo Secret Club'? Selling things that are 'out-there'? And it's near that clothing store..._

She took the long route around town to avoid speaking to the shopkeep again; as she neared it from the other side, she found herself at an unmarked door with a cover of some kind rolled up above it. Reckoning this was the place they were talking about, she put her hood back up as she stepped up and knocked once.

"...What's the password?" The question was whispered through the door, so quiet that anyone not right up to it wouldn't hear.

"G-S-C-dia," Link whispered back, trusting her hood to prevent the sound from being caught on the wind.

"Alright, you can come in."

The door was opened for her, and Link stepped inside; then it was closed behind her, and the Gerudo who had opened it looked at her curiously. "Hey... I haven't seen your face around here before."

_Dammit._ Link really hoped this wasn't as much of a threat as it seemed; she had the password, she hadn't even considered that maybe there was more to entry than just the right code.

After a moment, the woman chuckled. "Looks like we've got ourselves a rare visitor," she mused. Link breathed a sigh of relief as she continued. "You're a member here now, so thanks for your patronage." She led Link up to the counter. "Sav'saaba. Elsewhere it might be sav'otta or sav'aaq, but here, it's always sav'saaba."

"I'm not familiar enough with the language yet to know what that's supposed to mean," Link mused, looking around the shop. It _seemed_ to be a clothing shop - albeit more enclosed than the one outside - but it had rather different wares. "What is this place?"

"The Gerudo Secret Club, or GSC," replied the owner. "This is the only shop in Gerudo Town where someone could buy clothes meant for a voe to wear. Despite it being illegal to sell voe clothing in this town, there is a high demand for such things."

Link blinked in confusion. "I'm not sure whether it's weirder that the sale is outlawed, or that there's demand for it."

"Well, voe aren't permit in town," the owner observed. "Selling voe clothing out in the open would only entice them to intrude. And as for the demand - well, what better way for a Gerudo vai to find a voe than to get him clothing from her homeland?"

"Weird," Link mused, looking at the clothing. "So, does this stuff do anything exceptional, or is it just for the design?" The legwear looked like a more masculine version for the sirwal being sold outside (albeit of a fabric that seemed much more reliable, and having higher boots that were much more armoreud), and the headwear seemed to just be a band. But there was no tunic; there was just a pauldron and a pair of bracers. Apparently the Gerudo fashion of showing much of one's skin wasn't just a vai thing.

The owner nodded. "It is made with sapphires," she explained, "which protects the wearer from heat." She smiled. "And they're a bit more reliable for combat. Perhaps a Hylian distrustful of the vai clothing would rather dress like a voe?"

Link turned. "How did you-?"

The owner aimed a finger at the next wall; there wasn't a wall, just a thick array of curtains.

"Oh. That's the women's storefront, isn't it?" Link sighed, looking at the voe clothing again.

It _did_ look much more reliable... and Buliara did mention the stories had said the Hylian Champion was a voe...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: meat and seafood are the only food items that have a frozen variety (for whatever reason). The use of frozen hydromelon is meant to allude to the real-world deliciousness of frozen watermelon.
> 
> Funny limitations of gameplay. The bar is open-air, so you should be able to overhear the conversation from the street; but there's nothing you could interact with to trigger the eavesdropping from down there, so they have to have it on a grating next door.
> 
> Recap of my terms and conditions for this series:  
-All amiibo are forbidden, as are the contents of all EX Chests.  
-If Link falls asleep, in a bed, he must rest within the next 48 hours. If he sits by a campfire, he must rest within the next 24.  
-Upon first entry of a Divine Beast, weapon/shield/bow inventory must only consist of those which were designed by the race whose Champion piloted that Divine Beast (i.e. Zora equipment for Vah Ruta).  
-The game must be saved before entering a Divine Beast. Upon the acquisition of a Champion's weapon, the game must be loaded from that save. Once this has been done to each Divine Beast at least once, they are free to be properly completed.  
-The Master Sword must be drawn with no more than thirteen hearts.  
-The Horned Statue is a jackass and not to be spoken to.  
-Having a Great Fairy strengthen your garb qualifies as adultery, and Link is faithful.  
-The blood moon must not trigger. (Draco's trope snark: #SignatureStyle)


	2. The Gerudo Champion's Entrusted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna have mention of Link going back to Kakariko for a stealth series, but after my workaround to compensate for the lack of disguise effort, I'm just gonna have her endeavouring to be silent on her own power.
> 
> Link's equipment inventory at the start of this chapter [currently equipped]:  
-[Guardian Sword]  
-Guardian Axe  
-Guardian Spear  
-Gerudo Scimitar  
-Gerudo Scimitar  
-Gerudo Scimitar  
-Moonlight Scimitar  
-[Wooden Bow]  
-[Arrow ×50]  
-Fire Arrow ×30  
-Ice Arrow ×29  
-Shock Arrow ×30  
-[Wooden Shield]  
-Gerudo Shield  
-Radiant Shield  
-Champion's Tunic  
-Hylian Hood  
-Hylian Trousers  
-[Desert Voe Headband]  
-[Desert Voe Spaulder]  
-[Desert Voe Trousers]  
(assorted armour which varies depending on the order you are reading this series, and will not be relevant to this fic)

"Man, sand seals are a lot less precise than horses..."

Link had arrived at Karusa Valley - the home of the Yiga Clan, whose theives had stolen Riju's Thunder Helm. The ride hadn't been too enjoyable; setting aside the difficulty in keeping her balance on her shield when she was being dragged across the sand at incredible speed, she couldn't control her position very well, moving on a delay behind the seal she had rented at Gerudo Town.

At least the Desert Voe outfit was keeping her cool. The sapphires did a lot more against the heat than thin garments or frozen food could ever do - although she'd gotten a lot of weird looks on her way to the seal rental stand for showing up in a pauldron and her sarashi. She could only imagine what kind of reaction she was gonna get from Riju and Buliara; given what the GSC owner had told her about the legality of voe clothing, she was formulating excuses for where she'd gotten them even as she made her way up the valley.

As the winding ridges gave way to a more straightforward hill, a red glow appeared ahead of her, snapping her out of her thoughts; the Yiga had noticed her coming.

The sickles had been done away with; the footman that appeared before her was armed with a segmented bow covered in spikes. Link quickly drew her her own bow as the Yiga hopped up and vanished with a scattering of papers; when he started to reappear again, Link nocked an arrow, and as soon as he had appeared - still off the ground, making to fire at her - she loosed the projectile, nailing him in the forehead and leaving him reeling. His lack of solid stance meant he started to slide down the hill towards her, and she slung the bow over her shoulder as she drew her shield off her back and brandished her sword.

The solid-light blade manifested as she held the Guardian Scout's weapon, and she brought it into her opponent once, twice, thrice before he retreated, leaving only a few Rupees where he had been.

"Lovely," Link muttered. "This isn't gonna be fun."

Three more footmen with bows appeared on more level ground; her sword shattered on one, and she swapped it out for another Guardian Scout weapon - a spear. That finished off the one and took out another; the last learned his lesson and stayed well away, leaping high into the air when Link happened to draw near, leaving her to throw the lance at him and knock him out of the sky, shattering her weapon in the process.

With a sigh, she tapped at her Sheikah Slate, readying her last Guardian weapon - an axe of unusual shape. "Let's hope there's not too much more fighting going on here," she muttered.

No more archers attacked before she arrived at a strange room - an eight-sided room with a pedestal covered in torches in the middle. Banners with the Yiga emblem - an inverted crimson Sheikah eye with the tear going upright, as though blood pouring from the wearer's forehead - covered each wall; suspecting one of them might be hiding something, she lit her arrows on the torches around her and fired at each banner, burning them away.

Her bow was lost as she fired at the last banner, which ignited as the first one crumbled away. Most of the banners were hiding nothing but Keese, but one of them had an access further into the hideout. Link fended off the bats with a few Remote Bombs and started inside; the path took a sharp right, and she found herself looking at what appeared to be a cage.

With a Gerudo guard lying inside it.

Link started forward - and promptly halted when the flicker of torchlight became visible. Patrolling nearby was a muscled, _towering_ figure holding a torch; upon his hip was sheathed a massive sword that looked like it could make mincemeat out of Moblins. Keeping quiet, Link waited until he had his back to her before approaching the cage. "Hey," she prompted, "are you okay?"

The Gerudo raised her gaze. "What are you doing here?" she murmured, sounding weak. "This is the hideout of those Yiga thieves who stole the Thunder Helm. If they spot you, they'll call the whole clan in here. There's no way you can take them all on."

"Then I'll keep quiet," Link insisted. "Maybe distract them if they're in too tight a formation."

"I don't know how you could," the Gerudo observed. "All I ever see them do is patrol and eat bananas." She shook her head. "Look, this place is dangerous. You should get out of here while you can."

"And leave them all be?" Link argued. "I don't think so." She glanced forward. "I'm gonna see if I can get the Thunder Helm. On my way out, I'll see if I can't get this cage open. Sit tight."

The brute Yiga on patrol rounded a corner that took him out of risk of her getting his attention; she leapt to the nearby wall, finding it rough enough to give her a handhold. She managed to climb around, finding the Yiga patrolling around a large stone pillar that seemed to be a supply zone; she waited until he came to a stop, then dropped down behind him and drew her solid-light axe.

The Yiga had no opportunity to react before she brought it into his back, and his torch fell to the ground as he vanished in a plume of smoke.

_Is that them dying?_ Link wondered. _Did Ganon do something to these things? __Or did he just retreat without checking to see what attacked him._ She holstered the axe again, causing its blade to vanish, and looked further down; another Yiga was standing stalwart in front of a doorway... and there was a bundle of bananas on a shelf near his head. As she snuck down, she kicked the dirt beneath him to make enough sound to arouse his suspicion, then circled around opposite the way he approached, careful not to make a sound; when he came to a stop to inspect the point of the sound's origin, she struck him down with her axe and advanced further.

The path through the doorway led past another leading to a wide-open area, and to a ladder; one look at how many brutes were inside the open area had Link electing to take the ladder. There, she found a _huge_ stockpile of bananas, as well as a series of walkways over the open area that revealed the numerity of brutes wasn't quite so numerous as she thought. There was, however, a man directly before another doorway; and the rest were of too tight a formation for her to distract him as she did the last.

_...Bananas,_ she contemplated, remembering what the Gerudo in the cage had said. _That's... too easy, isn't it?_

Taking a deep breath, she seized a bundle of the bananas and made her way onto the walkways; then she made to drop the bundle into the guard's view. To her bemusement, the guard did indeed react to their presence; after glancing around to see if any of his compatriots had noticed it, he started to advance on it, and Link promptly dropped down at the doorway and advanced inside.

_I am thoroughly ashamed that worked._

The room beyond was a dead end, but it did have a pedestal with a chest atop it. Link breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped up to it; getting in was a trial of patience, but getting back to Gerudo Town would be a simple matter of using her Sheikah Slate once she had the-

Bananas?

Link blinked. "You're kidding me," she muttered, staring into the chest at the bundle of bananas that lay there. Glancing around the room revealed a few other chests buried in the sand; she promptly drew her Slate off her hip and triggered the Magnesis rune, using it to pry them out. The grasping beam didn't require perfect accuracy; she just needed to aim it in the general direction of her target, and it would home in as long as there wasn't something else straight ahead.

Thus was her surprise when she attempted to pry out the chest on her right, and her beam closed onto the wall instead.

"What?" A sweep of the Slate caused the wall to rotate - leading to an open area _outside_ the stronghold with a hole in the middle. Taking a deep breath, Link stepped out through the wall, feeling a chill; this was almost into the mountains, and sapphires were designed to keep cool in the heat.

"_Hey!_"

The voice around her drew her attention in all directions; Link glanced around for a moment before a scattering of papers cued someone's appearance before her. Unlike the patrols in the hideout, this guy was shaped like a pear - but he was still wearing the Yiga's mask, and Link knew better than to lower her guard around him.

"Who the hell are you?" he demanded. "And what are you doing in my napping spot?" Then, before Link could respond to either; "Wait a minute... That thing on your hip... Is that... Could it be a Sheikah Slate?"

"You lot know about this?" Link asked.

"If it's a Sheikah Slate... Then that means..." He aimed a finger at her. "Yeah, _it's **you!**_ You're that Link chick I've been looking for!" Link's expression became one of disgust as he laughed. "What luck! My scouts are out in the field looking high and low, but you just wander into my hideout!"

Link drew her shield off her back. "Who the hell are _you_?" she asked in return.

The bulbous Yiga started in mid-motion. "Oh, excuse me. I haven't introduced myself yet. I am the leader... of the Yiga Clan!" He closed his hands together before him, sweeping them up to one side and then the other before twisting into a spin.

"The strong! The burly! The one, the only... **Master Kohga!**"

He raised his hands at Link threateningly.

"Now prepare yourself!"

Link made to charge at him, but he moved aside - with surprising speed, considering his figure and the fact that he was _spinning_ as he did so. A barrier appeared between him and Link, and he seemed to dance behind it before a large boulder appeared in the air above him, stamped with the Yiga emblem. His barrier subsided as it appeared; that didn't give Link a whole lot of comfort before the stone _flew _in her direction, and she leapt aside, landing with a roll.

"Dammit!" _My bow broke at the entrance! I knew I should've grabbed one from those footmen on the hill..._ Kohga spun away again when she tried to close the distance for her axe, and another barrier appeared as she tried to weigh her options. _I can't get close enough... My bombs!_ A few taps on her Sheikah Slate had a bomb in her hand while Kohga was dancing; as soon as the stone appeared above him, she hurled it, and his barrier vanished as it rolled near enough for her to set it off and blast it with him in range.

The lack of focus meant his rock didn't come at her; instead, it fell straight down, landing on Kohga with enough force to drive him into the ground head-first. Link charged forward, closing the gap with her axe and slamming it into him, landing four blows before he managed to free himself and then slamming a fifth for good measure.

Kohga spun away, and Link was caught off-guard as he moved over the pit instead. "Why, you! You'll pay for that!"

As Link approached the ridge of the pit, two more stones appeared at his sides; then he started to swing his hands about, causing them to rotate around him, building up momentum. Link wasn't sure she could throw a bomb that far; as the stones started flying towards her, she raised her shield, only for the impact to knock it out of her hands and still have enough force to send **her** flying. As she righted herself, the other stone was on its way; she barely managed to avoid taking another impact, the stone shattering on her shield and leaving it in pieces.

_No room for error...!_ Another pair of stones appeared at Kohga's sides; going for broke, Link drew her axe off her back and hurled it at him while they started to rotate. It shattered against his pudge, causing the stones to fall ineffectively; one fell ineffectively into the pit, but the other shattered on his head as had the first, and he was sent flying towards the edge of the pit. Link quickly tapped at her Slate to give her a Gerudo-made sword, and she covered him in slashes before he managed to rise, just shy of a dozen hits before he moved over the pit once again.

"Damn you.... Damn you!" Kohga's voice was one of fury. "You won't get away with this!"

He raised his hands, and a _massive_ sphere appeared above him - this one covered in spikes. Link was panicking on how to overcome this when she realized it was metallic; as Kohga made to direct it at her, she drew her Slate and aimed it at the orb, and her Magnesis seized it. Resistance met her in short order; Kohga was trying to push it towards her with his magic, even as she tried to force it towards him with the rune.

A long moment of struggle; then Link leapt aside, letting the orb fly past her. Once Kogha had ceased pushing it, she seized it with her rune once again, and swung it towards him before he could counter her efforts.

The orb rolled, so that the emblem had its tear going down.

Link swung it around Kohga and dragged it back towards her hard enough that the metal _shattered_ against the Yiga; he was sent flying towards her, and she promptly drew her sword. As he approached her, she moved herself to bash him with her pauldron-clad shoulder; and as he was reeling back, she brought her scimitar up to his neck.

"You know," she growled, "when I came up here, I was just gonna slip in, find Riju's Thunder Helm, and get back to Gerudo Town with you lot none the wiser. But I am **beyond** sick of your **goons** giving me hell all over Hyrule."

She made to bring the scimitar across Kohga's throat - but the Yiga spun away, narrowly evading the edge of the blade. "You think I'm going to just let this stand!?" he demanded. "_Do you!?_"

"I couldn't give less of a damn whether you're going to 'let' anything." Link spat. "You can die by my sword, or you can swear on the Goddess' name that your people will leave me alone. Make your choice."

Kohga laughed. "I'm not inclined to follow any of **your** choices!" he countered. "I will _destroy you!_"

He slammed his hands together, and spell papers burst between him and Link. Another spiked sphere - much larger than the first - manifested in the air, hitting the ground with a heavy thud; Link was about to seize it with her Magnesis when she realized something odd.

It was moving _away_ from her.

Her gaze went down. The arena was just gently sloped towards the pit - but with something this round, just gently was enough. As it started to speed up, Kohga's yelp of surprise echoed around it; Link advanced forward as the orb chased him towards the pit.

It halted on the rim - and Link promptly put her foot against it, meaning to propel it further.

"Looks more like you're destroying yourself."

One good kick was all it took; the orb pushed Kohga over the edge of the pit, and promptly followed him in.

"Coward! I shall be remembered!" Kohga's yells echoed out of the pit as Link watched the orb shrink into the void. "The Yiga Clan will track you to the ends of Hyruuuuuuu-"

_Crash_.

Link glared into the pit for a moment; then realization kicked in, and her gaze went up with a yelp. "Wait, _shit_," she muttered, "the Thunder Helm! Dammit, it wasn't out here, how am I supposed to-"

She turned around, finding a chest sitting near the wall she had rotated.

"...That better not be more bananas."

* * *

When Link came back out of the Yiga hideout with Thunder Helm in hand, the Gerudo in the cage was gone; she proceeded to take the easy trip back to Gerudo Town, appearing on the warp gate of the shrine along the town walls, finding the moon had risen while she was dealing with the Yiga. When she arrived at the throne, Buliara was waiting for her - and was dumbfounded by her attire.

"What in Hylia's grace are you _wearing?_" she demanded.

"I'm not wearing that outfit on sale at Fashion Passion," Link countered. "This stuff's got sapphires to keep the heat back." She looked at the empty throne. "Where's Riju?"

"Lady Riju is on the second floor," Buliara replied. "Normally, people aren't allowed into her sleeping quarters, but she had given you permission, it seems..." She lifted her claymore and struck the floor with it. "Be on your best manners!"

Link nodded. "Of course."

She made her way up the stairs, drawing out the Thunder Helm as she did so; Riju was waiting outside the structure, and a smile rose on her face as she saw Link approach. "I've been waiting for you," she greeted.

"My apologies," Link mused. "So wrong of me to keep a lady waiting."

Riju giggled. "Such a demeanour - and that garb." She looked over Link appreciatively. "Do you mean to be mistaken for a voe?"

Link's sighed. "Well... Buliara said the stories tell of the Hylian Champion being male."

"Then you are the Hylian Champion," Riju mused. "And the stories have been altered by the passing of ages."

"So it would seem," Link confirmed.

"That is no fault of yours," Riju assured her.

"I know," Link admitted. "But I'm certainly not wearing that sirwal and veil."

"And instead, you find a secretive market for voe's clothing?" Riju mused.

Link almost dropped the Thunder Helm at that remark.

Riju giggled. "The aged laws have long since ceased to be meaningful in any way," she mused. "The Gerudo Secret Club has been in service since my childhood. I still pay lip service to the laws by prohibiting open sale - voe have enough reason to try and sneak into town - but I voluntarily turn a blind eye to their work."

"Such a thoughtful ruler," Link observed.

"I try to be," Riju admitted, her face falling. "I am, as you have no doubt noticed, still but a child. The people look on me with nothing but warmth in their eyes, but even this brings me some pain, I must admit..." She looked out over Gerudo Town. "I've tried to hard to be worthy of their love, to be a worthy chief... and to prove to myself that I was worthy, too. When my family heirloom was stolen, I felt as though a shadow had fallen over me." Then, turning back to Link; "Your arrival in the midst of all this must be the work of Lady Urbosa."

"I'm glad to hear such approval," Link admitted.

She handed Riju the heirloom; the chief removed her headdress before making to put on the Thunder Helm, whose all-encompassing figure body seemed to make her all but anonymous. With a heavy breath, she turned to face Link, her hands on the sides of the helmet.

"...How do I look?"

The howl of the night wind seemed to subside to a whisper... and images flickered through Link's mind.

* * *

_"You be sure to protect her with your life."_

* * *

"...hat's wrong?"

Link sucked in a deep breath; Riju's attention was on her now, her hands low at her sides. "You're just... staring."

"S-Sorry," Link mused. "I-I just..."

"Anyways..." Riju sighed. "How is it? Do I look alright?"

A smile rose on Link's face, and she nodded. "Yeah. You look positively regal."

A similar smile rose on Riju's face - and promptly fell when the helm shifted askew. She grabbed it and readjusted it to rest properly. "The threat of Naboris has only grown since we began searching for the heirloom," she mused. "I believe that Gerudo Town itself may be in danger before too long. As chief, and as a Gerudo, I must find some way to stop that thing before it threatens my people. Will you help me?"

"I said as much, didn't I?" Link prompted. "Of course I'll help."

Riju smiled again. "Those words bring me so much more comfort than such a simple pledge of confidence should."

She made to pick up her headdress... and the helm shifted askew again, prompting her to pull it off her head. "It is a bit big on me..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Went into the Kohga fight with no bow just to make him seem remotely challenging in the written fight.


	3. Thunderflash

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Draco has a list of equipment locations that uses a lot of truncations. Perils of not playing a game in over two years: you forget what your own truncations mean. I asked him where I can find a Gerudo Shield, he brought up a list, it said 'Gerudo Town', and we spent a few hours trying to figure out how close in proximity it was to Gerudo Town. I finally gave up and Googled it, and the spawn he was thinking of is actually much closer to Kara Kara Bazaar than to Gerudo Town.
> 
> Link's equipment inventory at the start of this chapter [currently equipped]:  
-[Gerudo Scimitar]  
-Gerudo Scimitar  
-Moonlight Scimitar  
-Gerudo Spear  
-Gerudo Spear  
-Golden Claymore  
-[Golden Bow]  
-Golden Bow  
-[Arrow ×35]  
-Fire Arrow ×29  
-Ice Arrow ×29  
-Shock Arrow ×30  
-[Gerudo Shield]  
-Moonlight Shield  
-Champion's Tunic  
-Hylian Hood  
-Hylian Trousers  
-[Desert Voe Headband]  
-[Desert Voe Spaulder]  
-[Desert Voe Trousers]  
(assorted armour which varies depending on the order you are reading this series, and will not be relevant to this fic)

"Okay, _sav'otta_ is 'good morning', _sav'aaq_ is 'good afternoon', _sav'orr_ is 'good evening'?"

"No, _sav'saaba_ is 'good evening'; _sav'orr _is 'good night'."

Riju arrived at the outpost with the Thunder Helm under her arm, a bag in the other hand, and a shield upon her back to find Link speaking with the guard stationed there. "Okay, _sav'orr_ is 'good night', and _sav'orq_ is 'good-bye'? Then what's _vasaaq_?"

"_Vasaaq_ is just an all-purpose 'welcome'," the guard explained. "Like, when someone arrives at your store, you greet them, _vasaaq_."

Link narrowed her gaze. "Okay, so what's _sarqso_, then?"

"That's just an expression of thanks," Riju mused, drawing their attention.

"Riju," Link greeted.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Riju mused.

"It's not you," Link insisted. "I was in a hurry."

Riju smiled. "Not an unreasonable one," she mused. "Come with me."

The outpost watch tower rose very high off the sand - which gave them ample view of the way the Divine Beast was stomping around in the desert. "What a sight," Riju murmured. "Naboris is pretty intimidating."

She made to set the Thunder Helm over her head, but Link stopped her. "Wait," she mused, "if you..." She drew out a couple cloths from her pockets, wrapping them around the grip of the Helm. "That should stop it from slipping askew. You don't want to lose your vision in this situation."

Riju offered her a smile before putting it on. "If we want to get close enough to that thing," she observed, "we'll need to use sand seals. Are you ready for this?"

"Yeah," Link assured her. "Should be easy. What's the plan?"

"The Thunder Helm protects me from Naboris' lightning," Riju explained, "but it can also protect a limited area around me. We'll use the sand seals to get really close to that thing. Then, I need you to fire at its feet with bomb arrows. Naboris draws energy from the ground to keep moving; if you damage the feet, you should be able to stop it long enough to climb aboard. But you **need** to stay close. One hit from one of those lightning strikes could prove fatal." She took a heavy breath. "And promise me you'll retreat here if you get injured."

"Of course," Link assured her.

Riju reached into her bag, drawing out a bundle of arrows. "Here - Gerudo bomb arrows. Put them to good use."

* * *

"Your personal sand seal?"

"That distinct, is she?" Riju mused in response to Link's question. The sand seals were waiting a few dozen paces from the outpost - one looking very different from the others Link had seen. "This is Patricia." She took a deep breath. "Could you step back a moment?"

Link nodded, backpedaling a few paces, and Riju raised her gaze to the sky; her hands began to move in prayer, and when she spoke, her words seemed to charge the air around her.

"_My name is Riju, descendant of the royal line, and leader of the Gerudo people. With the power of the heirloom passed down in my family, I shall calm the Divine Beast Vah Naboris. Ancestors of the Gerudo! Answer my call! Aid me in this task!_"

A sphere of golden aura seemed to extend around her, and Link resisted the urge to let her jaw drop from how much _sand_ was being thrown into the air by the outdrift. "Goddess' grace," she muttered once the air seemed to still. "That's... incredible..."

"Yes," Riju mused, turning to face her. "I can feel their power flowing through me."

She dropped a shield to the sand, and Link quickly did the same.

"Let's move!"

Their sand seals charged forward as soon as their riders took the reins; they charged into sandstorm without hesitation. Link was struggling to keep inside Riju's field of protection as they drew near to the Divine Beast; a purple light began to well between Naboris' humps, and Riju shouted a warning before starting to slow Patricia down, prompting Link to do the same with her seal.

Waiting... waiting... and then the lightning struck, distinctly unnatural by any recognition. It slammed into the protective field and discharged around them, and Link promptly spurred her sand steal to dash as she hooked the leash on her belt and drew her bow and a bomb arrow. One shot landed on its left hind leg, and Link drew around to its right side as its left legs moved forward; a shot flew to its hind leg and then fore, and her sand seal dashed beneath the Divine Beast to give her a good shot at its left foreleg before the light began to gather again.

She eased her sand seal back as Riju caught up to them; Link cursed as she realized it feet was still glowing. "Dammit, did I miss?"

"It's too strong for one shot to take them out," Riju insisted. "One more volley should finish it!"

The lightning struck, and Link rode forward again; one shot on each of its forelegs, and then she had to concern herself with not getting stomped on. As she managed to bring herself up behind it, Naboris was preparing to strike again; Link blocked out Riju's yells to get back and took aim once more, firing at its right hind leg and then its left.

The bomb arrow connected just as the lightning was about to be launched.

Naboris cried out across the desert, and the sandstorm around it began to subside. Link released her sand seal's leash, letting it dive off as Riju came up beside her; Naboris began to descend, its legs buckling beneath it as it fell to the sand.

Riju drew the Thunder Helm off her head. "I cannot appease Naboris on my own," she mused. "I have no choice but to entrust the rest to you."

"Trust I won't betray," Link assured her, charging forward. "I'll see you in Gerudo Town!"

The Divine Beast was starting to stir as she got close - and Riju closed her eyes she vanished into the scattering sand.

* * *

**Sheikah Slate authenticated. Travel gate registered to map.**

The access was on Naboris' underside; Link was lucky she had arrived when she had, just barely able to get aboard before Naboris was standing tall again. The travel gate and pedestal were waiting for her once she was aboard, and once her Sheikah Slate was recognized, a voice echoed around her - a powerful voice.

The Gerudo Champion's voice.

_"Well, well, well..."_

Link raised her gaze. "Urbosa...!"

_"You sure do know how to keep a woman waiting,"_ Urbosa reprimanded - though there was a playfulness in her voice. _"But I trust that will only make what follows all the sweeter."_

"Of course," Link assured her. "But now that I am here, I'm not gonna keep you waiting any longer. Naboris will be yours again before sundown."

_"Don't take too long."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A semi-complete list of Gerudo terms, as determined by Draco (who looks way too seriously into his video games):
> 
> Sav'otta = Good morning  
Sav'aaq = Good afternoon  
Sav'saaba = Good evening  
Sav'orq = Good-bye  
Sav'orr = Good night  
Vasaaq = Welcome  
Sa'oten = Oh my  
Sarqso = Thank you  
Voe = man  
Vai = woman  
Vaba = mother  
Vehvi = child  
Vure = bird


	4. Scourge of Vah Naboris/Urbosa's Faith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't like the desert. It's erratic. And brutal. And frustrating. And it goes everywhere.  
...Okay, sorry. I haven't taken part in ANYTHING to do with that stupid series, I probably shouldn't be trying to piss people off on purpose based on hearsay.
> 
> Link's equipment inventory at the start of this chapter [currently equipped]:  
-[Moonlight Scimitar]  
-Gerudo Spear  
-Golden Claymore  
-Guardian Sword  
-Guardian Spear  
-Guardian Axe  
-[Golden Bow]  
-Golden Bow  
-[Arrow ×24]  
-Fire Arrow ×29  
-Ice Arrow ×29  
-Shock Arrow ×29  
-Bomb Arrow ×12  
-[Radiant Shield]  
-Champion's Tunic  
-Hylian Hood  
-Hylian Trousers  
-[Desert Voe Headband]  
-[Desert Voe Spaulder]  
-[Desert Voe Trousers]  
(assorted armour which varies depending on the order you are reading this series, and will not be relevant to this fic)

Darkness.

Outside Divine Beast Vah Naboris, the sun was only beginning to approach the horizon; yet when Link stepped inside, she found herself surrounded by a terrible, ominous darkness. It wasn't simply the absence of light; it made to terrorize her, horrify her, give her dread the likes of which could haunt its victim for a lifetime.

Standing before the control unit was a humanoid figure - but its body seemed to shift, and writhe, and _burn_ with an unholy fire.

**"The Gerudo people... One man born every century, with the throne as his birthright. Every woman with arms to bear unconditionally sworn to follow him."**

It turned to face Link, and she saw lightless voids of white where its eyes should have been.

**"Even to war on the Sacred Realm."**

Naboris shook - not the movement of the Divine Beast, for its own movements were but the mildest of shivers. The being before Link dissipated into the air, and Malice began to swirl around the control unit; as Link leapt to the platform on which it stood; the light of Sheikah technology began to flow out of it. It gathered behind her, and she turned to find some_thing_ manifesting in the air.

A solid shield.

A hooked blade.

And a narrow face that glared at Link through a single, pale blue eye.

_"Stay on your edge, Link!"_ Urbosa cautioned. _"This formidable adversary was made by Ganon, and brought me to a warrior's demise one hundred years ago. Do not allow this to be your end."_

With a glare, Link drew her Moonlight Scimitar and Radiant Shield off her back. "You act like there's some shame to a warrior's death," she mused. "But on the other hand, I wouldn't call _this_ thing a warrior."

The creature swung its blade aside, and Link braced her shield before her in retaliation.

"And that means it doesn't deserve the same honour."

One moment, she and the Malice stood facing each other; the next, her opponent was moving, and Link could _feel_ the air be cut open by its speed. That meant she knew when it was approaching, and she leapt back as it made to swing at her, its blade passing under her feet. Time slowed around her as she lunged forward, bringing six fast swings into its body before she spun around and lashed a seventh hard blow across its face.

The creature was small enough for that to throw it aside - and the narrowness of the walkways meant it promptly fell within Naboris' body. Link leapt down after it, landing as it managed to right itself, and it zipped away before she could try to strike it again; then it raised its hooked blade and swung it forward, and orbs of voltage flew down towards her, prompting her to leap aside as they bounced off the Divine Beast's build. The Malice lunged at her again, and once again she leapt aside, letting its swing pass her ineffectively before landing four more hits upon its body.

It zipped away, and then promptly zipped back; Link wasn't expecting the next assault so quickly, and was forced to meet its swing on her shield. That gave it opportunity to raise its own shield before she could swing her sword - but it wasn't built to last, and three swings were enough to shatter it, leaving the creature undefended as Link slashed it four times more. As it was knocked aside, she charged after it, and before it could rise she leapt at it and brought her sword down upon its head.

The Malice faded to light, and Link watched as it soared above the control unit again. Then it raised its hooked blade - and voltage _surged_ down upon it, coursing through its body.

_"Watch out for that lightning!"_ Urbosa warned.

Link was incredulous as the creature raised its sword once again - and _spikes_ manifested in the air, making to come down on her, impaling themselves on the inside of Naboris' body, and then being filled with such voltage that they shattered. As another shower descended, Link realized they were spikes of steel; she quickly drew her Sheikah Slate and seized one with Magnesis, and before the voltage could fill it, she slammed it into the creature at as high a speed as she could muster.

The Malice was knocked to the ground, and she drew her sword and shield once again to bombard it with blows. The Malice zipped away, and the voltage seemed to part from its body before it zipped back towards her; this time, its blade was swinging not just once but rapidly. Link met the first two blows on her shield, sidestepped the next two by increasingly narrow windows, and leapt aside from the last - and while it was still in mid-swing, she slammed her sword into it as many times as she could muster.

Seven blows threw her opponent to the ground, and she leapt after it and brought her blade down into its body.

Its sword and shield went out, and the creature rose into the air, swinging its arms wildly. As it tried to retaliate, rising above the control unit, light began to shine out through its body, and Link put the blade of her sword between her and the creature in an effort to keep herself from going blind as its demise filled the Divine Beast with such intense light as to rival a blast of lightning, as she had narrowly evaded suffering on her way here.

When it faded, Link was within Naboris - and the setting sun shone in through the gaps in its sides.

The control unit had been bared; slowly, cautiously, Link approached it, drawing her Sheikah Slate from her hip. Cautious, uncertain, she set it against the Guidance Stone on the front of the unit - and it began to shine, slowly pulsing with a far more benevolent light.

"Well done."

The Hylian Champion turned; this voice was much more solid.

"I knew you wouldn't let us down, Link."

Standing there was a Gerudo warrior in combat dress, with a half-skirt of goddess azure hanging over one leg... and surrounded by spectral flames that chased away the shadows within Naboris.

"Urbosa..."

Link smiled, sheathing her sword and hooking her shield over it as Urbosa approached. "You know, I'd love to know where you got women's clothes that practical," she mused. "All I could find in town was a showgirl outfit I wouldn't be caught dead in."

"Don't act like you're not showing plenty," Urbosa reprimanded, flicking at Link's shoulder opposite her pauldron - and a spark connected before her finger did, leaving Link stumbling back. "You'll get more attention in voe's clothing than you would in vai's."

She turned away as Link shrugged. "Thanks to your work, Naboris is ours once again. Which means that finally... we can can complete what we started years ago. We Gerudo have no tolerance for unfinished business."

"I'm glad to hear it," Link admitted. "I'm not going to stand a chance on my own. You know that, right?"

"I do," Urbosa mused. "And you won't have to wait until Ganon shows himself, either - I'll be ready to back you up, every step of the way."

She turned back around and snapped her fingers - and the charge she'd struck Link's shoulder with coursed through her body, intensifying. Link struggled to move her arms, fighting against the voltage; when she finally found the strength to swing her arm to the side, lightning cracked down around her in a broad field that could consume any crowd that could possibly attack her.

Link held her hands before her before looking up to Urbosa. "A town full of women," she mused. "I don't know where else I expected to find the strongest fingers in Hyrule."

Urbosa threw her head back and laughed, and Link joined her; the sounds echoed through Naboris for a long moment before subsiding, and Urbosa's smile fell.

"Both you and the princess... I know you have suffered much regarding what happened to us Champions." She shook her head. "But this is how things had to happen. No one need carry blame." Turning to face Link; "So please - make it clear so she understands that. Tell her to shed any worries."

The sunset began to darken outside of Naboris; Link's body was being pulled away, the Divine Beast delivering her to those who were praying for her safety.

"And let her know... I couldn't be more proud of her."


End file.
